The invention relates to a method for removing water from batches of wet material in batch washing systems and a centrifuge to carry out this method which loads and unloads automatically. Centrifuges need 5 to 10 minutes for loading, acceleration, spin drying, braking time and unloading. Therefore centrifuges are used as a part of washing installations in which batches of material pass through, like continuous laundry batch processing plants, only if cycle times are longer as 5 to 10 minutes. By this the output is limited. Washing installations with bigger output are furnished with dewatering presses which allow shorter cycle times by exert a pressure up to 30 atmospheres on the wet material. With centrifuges the same degree of moisture retention can be obtained with a pressure of 3 atmospheres. Thus wear and tear will be reduced and delicate material can be handled.